Steps for a Cause

On Saturday May 8th, 2010, the Molokai Gleeks put on their walking shoes for an important cause... the 33rd annual Visitors Charity Walk.  Our team felt it was important that we take an active role in helping cancer patients on Molokai.  So, in previous weeks we went door-to-door asking for donations, as well as, collected funds at our Ho'ike community event.  We raised $480 to donate to our charity - The Molokai Cancer Fund.  Funds raised are used to support cancer patients on our island to travel off-island to get treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. It was a great feeling to walk and give back to a worthy charity!  

To find out more about the Vistor's Charity walk, read the Steps for a Cause article, by Megan Stephenson, that was published in The Molokai Dispatch on Thursday May 13th, 2010.  Check out the photo of our team member Lily Jenkins.  SMILE Lily!

Steps for a Cause

Charity walk brings big money.

In 25 minutes last Saturday morning, around 50 people raised just under $5,000 for nonprofits on Molokai.

The 33rd annual Visitors Industry Charity Walk raises money statewide for charities, and all money stays on the island where the money was raised. This was Molokai’s second year participating, where the donations also include extra money donated by the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, said Executive Director Carol Reimann.

This year had a higher turnout than last year thanks to the island’s keiki, said Councilman Danny Mateo.At last Saturday’s charity walk, some participants ran ahead to finish first – Tekoa Torres-Umi (top left), Hojo Pou, Lily Jenkins, Esther Torres-Umi (bottom left), Makana Kaahanui and Caele Manley.

“We’re doing this to help each other – Molokai style,” he said. “There are so many nonprofits that need our help.”

Included in the charities benefited by the Chamber Foundation this year was Kaunakakai Elementary, which does not usually qualify because it is not a 501c3 nonprofit.

“We’re trying to reach out to organizations who do work for the community but who can’t fundraise like [nonprofits],” said Molokai Chamber Foundation President Barbara Haliniak.

Along with Kaunakakai, Kalaupapa’s Aloha Week fund was also included through the Chamber Foundation. Participating nonprofits include Molokai Baptist Church, Aka`ula School, Habitat for Humanity, Molokai Family Support and the Monsanto Fund.

Ho'ike - Sharing Our Knowledge

Community impact is an important part of our project.  Because lives can be saved through early detection and prevention, our team thought it was vital that we participate in educating our family, friends, other schools,  and community members about cancer awareness.  On May 11^th, 2010, our team participated in our island-wide Ho‘ike event.

Our team had an informational booth where we told people about cancer, cancer prevention, and our innovative project, LabWoW invention that we dreamed up. We also collected $480 in donations that we donated to the Molokai Cancer Fund.  This non-profit organization helps Molokai cancer patients with off-island travel expenses to receive cancer treatment.

Follow the other Molokai Robotics Teams!!!

Thank you to everyone who is following our blog! Please check out the other Robotics teams on Molokai who also have a blog!!!

Mahalo for your support!!

http://www.molokaiwalkietalkies.blogspot.com

http://www.molokaiforgetmenots.blogspot.com

http://www.kaunakakaipharmers.blogspot.com

Body Forward!!!

Each year Fist Lego League has a new theme and is made up of three components. The Technical Design: Where teams have to come up with unique designs for there robots, Programing/Robot challenge: Students program there robots to do as much missions as they can do in a 2 1/2 minute period, and a Project based side: Students have to come up with innovative technologies based on each years theme. 

This years theme is "Body Forward". Before we came up with a solution to this years theme we had to discuss as a team what "Body Forward" means to us. "Body Forward" to us means to improve the health and happiness of people on Molokai, Hawaii, the United States, and ultimately the World. This years challenge is to come up with a innovative technology that will do just that. Once we clarified as a team what "Body Forward" meant it was easy to move on from there. 

The solution to our team’s problem is early detection for cancer through the use of the Nano-bio-chip technology, which is a diagnostic fluid based sensor. This technology was developed by John McDevitt at the University of Texas, then he moved to Rice University in Texas to further his research. This chip detects oral cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, heart disease and in the future, one drop of saliva could be screened for all sorts of diseases, not just cancer and heart disease. The Nano-bio-chip detects cancer by reading the type of proteins found in the cells of your saliva.  Each type of cancer is uniquely identified by a specific type of protein.  This test is painless and efficient. You simply spit on the chip witch is then moved into a machine called the lab now, its about the size of a toaster and in approximately 8 minutes, you will have your results. When you spit on the Nano-bio-chip the mixture travels through a small tube into a chamber then you put the chip in the lab now for analysis. The chamber has a porous membrane floor that drains out the fluid and leaves the larger cells in the chamber. Antibodies are then pumped into the chamber through the wholes in the floor. The antibodies are labeled with florescent dyes that attach to protein on the surface of cells called Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). If the EGFR is over expressed then there is cancer present. 

Check out our Team!!!!

Here is a picture of our team!! Meet Sarah, Kylee, Momi, Lily, Cendall, Alex and Hikilii!! Look for more from these intelligent ladies in the near future! We are all going to take turns writing the blogs and maybe even posting some Vlogs! :)

Hi Hello Howz-It Hikilii

Cruisin' with Cendall

      Cendall is 12 years old and is a Home schooled 7th grader.  In college, her mother took voice lessons and  has became a talented singer.  Since then, Cendall's mother has encouraged her children to sing for their church to praise Jesus for what He has done for them.  Because of this, Cendall has grown up around music and she was taught to sing at a young age.  Besides church, Cendall also sings at Awanas (a kids bible study), Waialua Christian Youth Camp, and many other places. 
    As you can tell, Cendall has a passion for singing and that is one of the reasons why she decided to participate in the Glee robotics club at Kaunakakai School.  She can now sing her heart out for robotics as an official Gleek member.